knudsen



" Patented Jam. 18, 1921.

2 EEEEEEEEEEEE I l 35 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

K. KNUDSEN.

.WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29. i919.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

r I 13 7 INVENTOR.

FIB- El.

ATTORNEYS.

tionis subject.

UNITED STATES" F rst OFFICE.

xnnsrnn xnonsnn, or GRAND RAPIDS, rarcnrenn', .assrenon 'ro nnnc'rnrowirnnn 00., nssocrnrns, or srninerinnn, MASSACHUSETTS.

' wrrniin.

, Specification of Letters Patent. Pate ted J 18 1921 itlpplicationfiled July 29, 1919.. Serial No. 314,081.

To cZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Kansrnn :KNUDSEN, a citizen oi: the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and Stateof Michigan, have invented a new and useful Wheel, of which the following is sl iecitication. 1 a

wheels in which the motive power is within,

such as the electric-motor wheels for transportation and other vehiclesof a more or less similar character, and also in wheels in which thereduction-gear device or mechanisni i' 'ontained, the motive power beingoutside, said invention in some measure relating to the wheel covered byUnited States Letters Patent, No. 1,075,655.

The aforesaid improvements reside in oer tain peculiar features ofwheel-casing construction. including new and novel coverplate-holdingmeans and tire-holding means, all as hereinafter set forth. i

It has heretofore been the practice, in the construction of wheels ofthe aforesaid type, to force the outer disk or cover into place with atight fit inside of the band, and to press the tire on to such'band. Thereasons for the tight fit of the cover and that of the tire arewellltnownto those skilled in the art. Obviously there are seriousdrawbacks and objections to a construction of this kind, such as theneed for great accuracy in workmanship, and the time, labor, andslrillin volved in taking the wheel apart and putting it together again, whenrepairs have to be made. tion is, therefore, to removethe aforesaiddrawbacks and objections. The cover is easily removable in the presentwheel construction, so also is the tire, it being pos sible to remove,and replaceas well, either or both said cover and tire with no othertool than an. ordinary wrench. v 1 7 Another object is, by avoiding theuse of bolts which pass through the interior of the wheel, I am able todo, to economize space within said wheel for themechanism therein, andeven to reduce the outside rim diameter if desired. 1 I 7 Still anotherobject, which also depends upon the absence of bolts thatpass throughthe wheel interior, is the avoidanceof leakage through the front andback sides of the wheel, something to which the old construc- Theprimary object of my invenring.

plhe'wheel rim and back disk or plate in this case are integral, whichis an advantage over a construction in which such members areseparateand independent and bolted or otherwise mechanically joined togetherg,This combined rim and'back' plate iorm wnat maybe termed a housing.

My iIWQIltlOIl relates to lmproveinents n jF till another object is toproduce a wheel which is strong, tight. durable and withal practicableand efficient.

Other objects and advantages will appear. in the course of the followingdescription.

A preferred embodiment of the invention, wherebyl attain the objects andsecure the advantages of the same, is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and I will proceed and may be modifiedwithout tion wheelwhichembodies my invention as aforesaid; Fig. 2, a rear elevationof thesame F 1g. 3', an enlarged, central, trans-- verse section through saidwheel, Fig. ,4,

an enlarged, fragmentary, front felevation' showing one of the clampswith itsbolt and a portion of the loclror clamp ring by :zneans ofWlllQll'tllG cover 1Sl1GllttTthQhOUS- ing; Fig. 5, asiniil'ar, rearelevation showing aportion ofthe flange oftheexpansion ring by means of;which the rubber tire or its band is secured in position; Fig. 6, afragmentary, isometric "viewyof said clampring, showing the hip jointtherein, and, Fig. 7, an enlarged,fragmentary, rear elevation showingthesplit in said expansion Referring to the drawings it will be seenthat my wheel comprises a housing 1 and a cover 9., said housing andcover having open, reinforced centersor hubs 3 aud t, respec-" tively,where are located the bearings (not shown) upon wh chthe wheelrevolves." The housing has a forwardly-extending rimr5 anda rearwardlyextending a brake e drum flange ('3. The cover Qhas a plurality ofexternal, radial channels 7 1n the-face thereof, which form interiorstiffening ribs for said cover. 'Upenings'S are tapped in the hub 3 i toreceive oil-cups (not shown), and in the hub 4 and arranged to openoutwardly into the channels 7 to receive lock-screws for abearing-adjustment nut (not shown).

A bevel-gear ring 9 is shouldered at 10 to the inner edge of the cover 2and fastened to the same by bolts 11. The external diameter of the gearring 9 is larger than the major diameter of the cover 2, and said ringhas a loose fit circumferentially in the housing, or in the rim 5 ofsuch housing, against a shoulder 12 in said rim. Obviously the in neredge'portion of the cover 2 as well as the gear ring 9 are receivedwithin the rim 5.

Adacent surfaces of the housing rim 5 and the inner edge portion of thecover 2 are tapered in opposite directions to provide anoutwardly-flaring annular channel in which is received -a lock ring 13,which latter is ta pered to correspond to its contiguous parts orsurfaces. The lock-ring 13 is forced tightly into the aforesaid channeland there secured by means of a plurality of bolts 14. The inner end ofeach bolt 14 is received in a recess 15 in the'outer face of thelock-ring 13, after passing through a clamp 16 into and through whichthe body of said bolt is tapped. Each clamp 16 is received in an annularchannel or groove 17 in the inner periphery of the housing rim 5 nearthe forward edge of such rim, and held in such groove by the force. ofthe bolt which enring 13 is wedged by the means and in the manner justdescribed may be designated by the numeral 18.

The threaded parts of the clamping device just described are wedged intoeach other by the thrust exerted on the inner ends of the bolts 14 andimparted to the clamps 16 in the groove 17 and so form a goodlockingelement for the cover 2 and gear ring 9. clamping .or lockingdevice are, of course, made of such material and so proportioned as tosize, that said device is capable of saf'ely withstanding any strain orforce that in practice may be applied thereto.

In order that the lock-ring 13 shall bear equally with both taperedsurfaces, said ringis split so that its ends can separate, as at 19 inFig. 6, to a sufiicient extent to render compensation possible for whatlittle difference there may be in the machining of the ring and of theta ered surfaces of the contiguous members. rabbeted joint may be-madeat the lockring opening 19, by inserting or insetting a piece or plate20 and riveting. it at 21 to the ring at one side of said opening. Theplate 20 has a recess 22 The parts and members of this therein toreceive the inner terminal of one ofthe bolts 14, such recesscorresponding with the recesses 15 in the lock-ring itself.

The best manner of placing the split-ring 13 in place and seating it isdescribed as follows: The clamps 16 are first put loosely in place withtheir outer edges in the groove 17, and then the bolt 14 which isdiametrically opposite to the opening 19 is tightened, after which theother bolts 14 are other side of such plane, and so on. As the final actin the tightening operation the bolts 14 are gone over againsuccessively and tighteded still more.

To gain access to the interior of the wheel, it is necessary merely toloosen the bolts 14, remove the clamps 16, tap the outside edge of thehousing 1 or of the housing rim 5, with a mallet or other suitableimplement, to loosen the lock-ring 13, and take out said 'ring, when thecover 2 can be withdrawn readily, since the bevel-gear ring 9 has aloose lit at 12 with the housing rim 5.

The periphery of the housing rim 5 is tapered from the forward edgerearwardly and inwardly and mounted on said rim is a band internallytapered and of a size to fit said periphery. The band 23 is split,

as at 24, to permit said band to expand against the inside of a steelbase band to which a rubber tire 26 is vulcanized. The expansion isaccomplished by means of a series, of, bolts 27. Each bolt 27 isreceived in an opening 28 tapped into the back edge or side of thehousing rim 5, after passing through slot 29 in an inturned, integralflange 30 at the back of the band 28. A plain washer 31 and alock-washer 32 respectively are interposed between the flange 30 andeach. of the heads of the bolts 27. The slots 29 accommodate the flange30 to the bolts 27, such accommodation being needed on account of theexpansion of the band 23Tpermitted by the presence of the opening 24 insaid band, which opening ex tends through said flange. At the back edgeof the band 23, ortheback side of the flange 30, is a series ofoutwardly-extending lips 33 which contact with the rear edge of the band25,v and said flange may be provided on said backside with a pluralityof oblique, reinforcing or stiffening ribs 34.

Theconstruction, arrangement, and proportion of the parts are such thatthe tire 28. Upon loosening the bolts 27 the tire band can be easilyremoved by hand. The band 23 is placed on the housing rim 5 from therear, and the band 25, to which is vulcanized the tire 26, is placed onand removed from said band 23 from the front, as will readily be seen.

The constructionof the flange 30 and the arrangement or" the ribs 34-.are such that the heads of the bolts 27 are out of the way in therecesses provided in part by said ribs, and there room for theapplication to such heads oi a wrench and for the operation of thelatter.

lVhile it might be possible to make either the lock-ring 13 or theexpansible band 23, or both, in sections, it is believed that onepiece,split members are far more practicable and less expensive.

Each bolt 11 is provided with a lockwasher 35.

IVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

lain a wheel, of the class described, a housing comprising integralback-plate and rim members, a cover, and detachable means to secure saidcover to said housing.

2. In a wheel, of the class described, a housing, a cover, a lock-ringreceivable between interior and exterior, respectively, peripheral partsof said housing and cover, and detachable means to secure said-ring inplace.

3. In a wheel, of the class described, a housing having a shoulderedpart, a gear ring in said housing in engagement with said shoulderedpart, a cover having a part to engage said ring, and detachable means tosecure said cover to said housing.

at. in a wheel, of the class described, a

housing having a shouldered part, a gear ring in said housing inengagement with said shouldered part, a cover having a part to engagesaid ring, a lock-ring receivable between interior and exterior,respectively, parts of said housing and cover, and detachable means tosecure said rings in place.

a. In a wheel, of the class described, a houslng, a cover, a splitlock-ring rece1vable between interior and exterior, respectively, partsof said housing and cover, and detachable means to secure said ring inplace. a I

6. In a wheel, ofthe class described, a housing, a cover, a splitlock-ring receivable between interior and exterior, respectively,

parts of said housing and cover, said ring.

being provided with a rabbeted joint, and detachable means to securesaid ring in place.

7. In a wheel, of the class described, a housing consisting in part of arecessed rim, a cover, a lock-ring receivable between said rim and saidcover, clampsadapted to engage the recessed parts of said rim, and meanssupported by said clamps and arranged to bear forcibly against saidring, to secure the latter in place. V

8. In a wheel, of the class described, a housing consisting in part or arecessed rim, a cover, a recessed lock-ring receivable between said rimand said cover, clamps adapted to engage the recessed parts of said rim,and bolts tapped into said clamps and at their inner ends adapted toengage the recessed parts of said rin 9. In a wheel, or the classdescribed, a housing consisting in part of a shouldered and recessedrim, a gear ring in said housing in engagement with the shouldered partof said rim, a cover having a part to engage said ring, a recessedlock-ring receivable between said rim and said cover, clamps adapted toengage the recessed parts of said rim, and bolts tapped into said clampsand at their inner ends adapted to engage the recessed parts of saidlock-rin 10. In a wheel, of the class described, a

housing consisting in part of a rim, a cover,

a lock-ring receivable between interior and exterior, respectively,parts of said rim and cover, and detachable securing meansfor said ring,such means being interposed between said mm and I'IIIO.

, KARSTEN KNUDSEN. Witnesses:

AGNES KNUDSEN, J. RAYMOND PLANK.

